Closet system



Oct. 7, 1930. w c GROEMGER ET AL CLOSET SYSTEM Filed June 2. 1928 .IIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR Wm f W -1- kw M Patented Oct. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM G. GBOENIGEB AND JOHN C. CBOMWELL, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO CLOSET SYSTEM Application filed June 2,

The present invention relatesbroadly to the art of water distribution and more particularly to systems having to do with the supply of water through so-called flushometer valves to toilets for the purpose of effecting a flushing action.

At the present time, considerable thought and study are being devoted to the questlon of pollution of Water supply, and some of the States have enacted legislation prohibiting the use of any equipment capable of permitting a back-flow from the sewage system to the water supply or of permitting at any time the establishing of such a connection between the water supply system and the system being flushed as to permit. possibility of contamination.

Not infrequently, serious typhoid epidemics have manifested themselves in localities in which it has been impossible to find any source of pollution of thewater supply, and the cause of such epidemics has heretofore remained unsolved, although they have been traced back to pollution of the water supply, the means permitting the pollution,

however, or the source of pollution not having been determined.

By an extensive series of experiments dealing with the subject of pollution, we have found that equipment recognized heretofore as complying with the most stringent reuirements relative to possibility of pollution, is capable, under certain conditions of operation, of establishing such a connection between the waste water and the supply system as to permit back-flow with corresponding contamination. One of the objects of our invention, therefore, is to provide an improved system including the closet to be flushed, the flushometer valve controlling the flushing action, and the water supply connection, of such-nature that possibility of contamination in the manner referred to, is prevented.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of preventing pollution of a source of water supply by reason of the connection of such supply through a flushometer valve to a closet or 50 closets.

1928. Serial No- 282,343.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown for purposes of illustration only, one system embodying the safety features of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits of our invention as changes in the construction, arrangement and relationship of the parts may be made without departing either from the spirit of our invention or the scope of our broader claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, largely diagrammatic, illustrating a closet system having the flushing water controlled by a so-called flushometer valve. v

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale through the flushometer valve; and,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of safety means precluding possibility of contamination.

At the present time it is customary in the art to which this invention relates to utilize so-called flushometer valves in a number of different Ways. The different standard con nections in this respect comprise a closet bowl with a side supply with the flush valve located above the flush rim of the bowl; a bowl with a top supply with the flush valve located above the closet bowl; a bowl with a back supply wherein the flush valve is located below the flush rim, and a bowl with a back supply wherein the flush valve is located above the flush rim.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated the second type of installation in which there is a top supply of flushing water with the control valve located above the closet bowl. All of these different types of installations have heretofore received careful attention, and the conclusion has been reached that they comply in all respects with legislation dealing with plumbing installations, and such systems are now in extensive use.

Such a system comprises a water supply connection 2 leading from a suitable source of water supply usually in the form of a city main, and connected to the inlet 3 of a flushometer valve casin Such a valve comprises an inner sleeve-1i e projection 4 shaped at of which the valve is unseated.

its upper end to provide a seat 5 for cooperation with a diaphragm 6. At its outer edge, the diaphragm 6 is clamped between a shoulder 7 on the valve casing and the lower surface 8 of a cap 9, the cap 9 being held in position to clamp the diaphragm against the shoulder 7 by a closure 10.

Extending through the diaphragm and into the space below the cap 9 is a passageway 11 of any desired construction, and preferably rovided with means (not shown) for adjusting the flow therethrough whereby the time required to build up a sufiieient pressure above the cap for seating the diaphragm may be regulated.

At its inner edge, the diaphragm is clamped between the upwardly facing shoulder 12 on the guide sleeve 13 and the clamping collar 14 having a projection 15 threaded into the sleeve 13. The clamping collar is of such construction as to provide a horizontally extending seat 16 adapted to receive a gasket 17 which is clamped or held in position in any I desired manner as for example by means of a clamping ring 18 threaded into the clamping collar.

The sleeve 13 is of such dimensions as to slide freely within the upstanding portion 4 of the valve, and is conveniently guided during its movement by a guiding spider 19 held in position on the sleeve by a stop ring 20.

Cooperating with the gasket 17 is a release valve 21 having a downwardly projecting stem 22 cooperating with a sleeve 23 by means This unseating operation may be accomplished by actuation of a handle 24 suitably connected to a cam 25 abutting the head 26 of a shiftable stem 27. The stem is normally urged into engagement with the cam by a spring 28 seated at one end against the under side of the head 26 and at its other end against the bottom of a combined guiding and valve structure assembl 29. The assembly 29 may conveniently be t ireaded into the housing 30 which embraces the cam 25 and which is in turn secured to the valve casing by the clamp ring 30*. The assembly further comprises a projecting portion 31 serving to guide the stem 27, and threaded to cooperate with a packing gland 32. Extending through the assembly as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is a suitable opening or openings 33 adapted to provide communication between the interior of the housing 30 and the interior of the outlet connection 34 for permitting atmospheric air to flow into the outlet connection under conditions of operation as hereinafter referred to.

Cooperating with the opening or openings 33, is a valve 35, which may conveniently comprise an annulus of flexible material clamped in position as clearly shown in the drawings and serving at its outer edge as a sealing gasket for the assembly 29. Normally the valve 35 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 in which an imperforate portion thereof cooperates with each opening 33 provided in the assembly 29. Preferably each of the openings 33 is surrounded by a projecting seat 36 facilitating the sealing action of the valve 35. At points intermediate the openings 33, or oil-set relat vely.

thereto where a single opening is provided, the valve 35 is provided with one or more openings 37. By reason of this construction, it will be apparent that when the valve 35 is in the dotted line position of Fig. 2 it is effective for permitting a flow of air from the housing 30 to the outlet connection 34. Upon any tendency of either water or air to pass in the opposite direction, however, the valve immediately moves to a full line-position of this figure and cuts off such a flow.

The outlet connection 34 cooperates with a bowl connection 38 having the usual fitting 39 with the top opening 40 of the closet bowl 41.

Under normal conditions of operation, the water level in the closet bowl 41 is approximately that indicated in full lines in F ig; 1,

and the supply of flushing water is such as to have filled the space below the cap 9 whereby the diaphragm 6 is urged downwardly to cut off communication between the inlet and outlet connections. Upon operation of the handle 24 the inner end of the stem 27 engages the sleeve 23 and moves the same laterally, thereby unseating the valve 21 and permitting the chamber below the cap 9 to empty, whereupon the pressure of the water supply unseats the diaphragm 6 and the desired flushing action occurs. This flushing action continues through a period determined by the length of time required to build up the necessary reseating pressure above the diaphragm 6 as explained.

It not infrequently happens that by reason of any one of a number of causes the outlet connection 42 of the closet bowl becomes clogged or a similar condition obtains in the sewage outlet line 43. Under such a condition, the water level within the bowl may rise to the point indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in some cases may even rise high enough to actually flood over the flush rim 44 of the bowl. Under such conditions,'the space below the flush rim is completely filled with waste water which is in direct communication with the bowl connection 38. It may now happen that for purposes of repairs, or for some other purpose, the main supply of city water is cut off. Under such a condition, a valve 45 at some point in the system below the bowl 41 may be opened in an efi'ort to draw water from the supply system in normal manner. The opening of such valve will be effective for emptyin the portion of the system above the same IOIIl such water as may have been trapped therein, and with normal installations as heretofore utilized will necessarily withdrawwater from the inlet side of the fiushometer valve and permit a back flow of Water through the passage 11. The continued emptying action of the 'water supply system will be effective for unseating the diaphragm 6 and actually establishing a siphoning connection between the abnormally filled closet and the water supply system. The siphon, once established, the back-flow of waste water will continue until the level in the :bowl drops to such a point, due to the siphoning action, that the siphon is destroyed.

We have also found that in some cases the same objectionable results are encountered where the supply of city water is not cut off. This condition can exist, for example, where the outlet connection for the closet bowl on the upper floor of a building becomes clogged and the demand for city water on the lower floor exceeds that which can normally be furnished through the source of supply provided. In such case, the excess is necessarily made, up by a siphoning action of the char-. acter set forth.

So far as we are aware, these conditions of operation have heretofore never been recognized, although from our experiments as referred to, we have definitely ascertained the actual back flow under conditions such as described. In accordance with the present invention, however, such back-flow is prevented due to the fact that upon any operation such that a pressure in the water supply line lower than atmospheric pressure is created, whereby the diaphragmfi is unseated, the valve 35 immediately moves to its dotted line position of Fig. 2 and uncovers the opening or openings 33 thereby permitting the inflow of s'ufiicient air to kill the siphon. In actual practice we have found that it is impossible to start a siphoning operation with a fiushometer valve having siphon breaking means of the character herein disclosed.

While we are aware that it has heretofore been proposed to. provide automatically operating valves adaptable for use on traps, tanks, supply lines and the like, to permit either the release of air therefrom under certain conditions of operation, or for preventcloset bowl, a supply connection for water and a fiushometer valve, any means operative irrespective of the condition in the system or the location of the valve for positively pre-' venting any possibility of contamination of the water sup 1y under conditions such as.

herein referre to.

In accordance with the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown, with respectto the valve, and made the subject matter of our copending application Serial No. 282,342, filed June 2, 1928, a dangerous system of the character now employed may be made entirely safe merely by removal of the assembly corresponding to the assembly 29, and the substitution thereof in such valves of an assembly such as shown in the accompanying drawings.

One of the advantages of the present invention arises from the provision of a system including a closet, water supply connection and fiushometer controlling valve of such nature that possibility of siphoning through the fiushometer valve is prevented.

Another object of the present invention arises from the provision of a system of the character referred to so constructed that the creation of a lowered pressure in the water supply side of the system and the maintenance of such lowered pressure for a period long enough to produce a. slphomng actlon through the valve is prevented.

Still another advantage of the present invention arises from the provision of a flushometer valve serving in the dual capacity, in such a system, of a control means for the water for flushing purposes and of thepressure conditions within the system.

Still other advantages of the present invention arise from the method of preventing pollution of a source of water supply connected to a closet or closets through valves of the fiushometer type.

We claim:

In a closet system, a closet bowl, a flushometer valve for controlling the supply of flushing water to said bowl, a closet connection from said valve to said bowl, a water supply line connected to said valve, and means in said system including a member having an opening leading to the atmosphere and a resilient cover for said opening normally biased to close it but capable of opening when the pressure within the system is below atmospheric.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM G. GROENIGER. JOHN C. CROMVVELL. 

